Police use tasers on rake-wielding suspect

A 30-year-old man is facing several charges after a series of incidents in downtown Saskatoon Monday evening.

Police were called to the 200 block of 3rd Avenue South around 10 p.m. after the man reportedly swung a chair at an employee of a nearby business before threatening them with a machete.

From there, the man allegedly threw a sign through the window of another business, all the while threatening more people with the machete.

When officers found the man, he’d reportedly grabbed a rake out of the back of a parked truck, and was allegedly swinging it at people passing by.

Police reported that officers chased the man on foot to the intesection of 3rd Avenue and 23rd Street. The man allegedly turned on the officers, still brandishing the rake and swinging it at police.

Two officers reportedly used tasers on the man when he wouldn’t obey instructions.

Paramedics checked the man at the scene to ensure he had no lasting injuries from the tasers. He was then arrested and charged with assaulting a police officer, two counts of mischief, drug possession and various weapons offences.